Winners

In his Condition of the Judiciary speech last week, Chief Justice Louis Lavorato could have stuck to the politically popular recipe of a little self-congratulation followed by a dose of we-need-more-money and a sprinkling of scare tactics. With significant strides in attorney discipline standards despite "unprecedented budget cuts" and concerns about inadequate courthouse security, the soon-to-retire judge certainly had all the ingredients for a meat-and-potatoes speech. Instead, Lavorato decided to stray from the script, taking a swing at policymakers' current enthusiasm for using judges as political punching bags. "I'm all for vigorous public debate regarding the merits of judicial decisions and the role of the courts," he said. "But the quality of discourse about the courts has degenerated. Rather than legitimate criticism and thoughtful commentary... the public is barraged with rash generalizations, loaded sound bites and alarmist overstatements intended to exploit and inflame." Degenerated discourse? Exploit and inflame? Sounds a lot like the gay marriage opponents who disrespect the judiciary by using the specter of "activist judges" (who knows how those robe-wearing liberals down at the Polk County Courthouse will rule in the gay marriage suit filed last month?) to push their bigoted amendment agenda.

It's fifth period; do you know where your military recruiters are? If you're the Des Moines Public Schools, maybe not, after Cityview found at the start of the school year that, whether they're paying for breakfast for the entire school staff or showing off Hummers in the parking lot, military recruiters have a wide and varied berth at area high schools. That doesn't sit well with the Iowa Peace Network and a growing group of concerned parents who began a dialogue with school officials about a more balanced and accountable approach to in-school recruitment earlier this year, prompting School Board President Phil Roeder to respond in writing this month that, "I have asked the school district staff to... review our current Policies and Procedures as they pertain to military recruitment." Last week, the peace coalition responded to Roeder's cautious proposal by suggesting a moratorium on military recruitment "until that time that a uniform policy is in place." Seems to make sense that, if administrators are willing to get worked up about soft drinks' threat to children's health, they might take an even keener interest in keeping better track of military recruiters fattening impressionable kids with one-sided propaganda that could prove far more life-imperiling than a few empty calories.

In a town run by blue gums, it's somewhat refreshing to see a young guy bring the power structure to its very knees, which is exactly what hot-shot attorney Brad Schroeder has done - at least for now. The City of Des Moines is facing a possible judgment that would force it to refund some $26 million for an "illegal tax" it tacks onto residents' heating and electrical bills. Schroeder, working for Des Moines resident Lisa Kragnes, filed the lawsuit and realized a temporary triumph until another judge ruled that the earlier ruling could not be turned into a class-action lawsuit - an event that would wreak havoc on an already fragile Des Moines by forcing the city to make cuts it cannot afford - unless Kragnes herself can afford to keep the case in court. Schroeder and his partners have said they will foot the bill, but as of press time no decision had been made. And while we think the system shouldn't be changed, lest property taxpayers take it in the shorts even more while not-for-profits contribute nothing, it's still good to see the city sweat.

Losers

For the first time ever, none that really stand out. CV

Comment on this story | Return to top